You Make What Doesn't Matter Fade to Gray
by Nicoleaf
Summary: The Hogwarts AU no one asked for.
1. Chapter 1

Jay walked down the hallway with a smirk, it was the last quidditch game of the season and Gryffindor had it in the bag. It probably helped that along with being the Captain and a Beater, he was best friends with Mal, the head of the Slytherin team, and ergo knew _precisely_ how best to tick her off mid-game.

He headed to the dining hall alone, but nearly everyone he passed gave him a high five or a pat on the back. No one minded anymore that he was a thief who could flirt his way out of any situation. If anything it just made him more of a hero, no one else could sweet talk McGonagall out of taking the Transfiguration OWL, no one else could butter up Snape to the point the professor practically preened with pleasure anytime Jay got an answer correct, or only shook his head in slight disappointment when Jay inevitably blew up _another_ cauldron.

Yeah, Jay pretty much had it all, except for one thing: Carlos De Vil.

Jay had been practically mooning over the nerdy Hufflepuff since he stood behind him in line to be sorted as first years. Carlos had tripped over his robe and Jay had helped him up, and the moment their eyes met, Jay fell hard.

It started out as a harmless crush, a kiddie infatuation filled with longing glances and copious amounts of blushing for Jay. It developed into what Mal described as a "borderline stalkerish obsession in a sweet innocent sort of way," This of course had left Jay with an even redder blush on his face as he snapped at Mal telling her to go find her girlfriend Evie and make out or do whatever girls in relationships do.

What Jay really didn't get was why Carlos hadn't acknowledged Jay's feelings for him yet. Everyone at Hogwarts knew about the Gryffindor Beater's obsession with the shy Hufflepuff, everyone that is, except Carlos himself.

Jay's first attempt at actually wooing Carlos happened during their third year around Valentine's Day. Some seventh year had remembered that back when they were first years, a teacher had hired dwarfs to hand out Valentines, and if you payed them enough, to _sing_. Jay knew it was stupid but he couldn't help but think that it might the sort of thing Carlos would like, so he pickpocketed the cash off an unsuspecting first year and payed the surly diaper clad dwarf. Apparently, a lot of other kids had hired the same dwarf however, as it wasn't until dinner that the grumpy oaf got around to the Hufflepuff. Jay watched the dwarf approach Carlos out of the corner of his eye, careful not to let any of his teammates know he had sent someone a love note.

The dwarf reached up and rudely tapped Carlos' arm, Carlos turned around with that same damn smile that he had given Jay back in their first year. Jay couldn't really hear what the dwarf said to Carlos but then the dwarf burst out into song.

"I think the universe is on my side!" The Dwarf belted out at a low raspy pitch, "Heaven and Earth have finally aligned!" The dwarf suddenly switched to a screeching falsetto, "Days are good! And that's the way it should be!" The ugly little thing swung his arms wide in an over exaggerated gesture as he sank to one knee and procured a slightly crumpled box from his diaper. "Alrigh' here's ya chocolate from ya loverboy-" The nasty creature looked down at his list of names. Panicking, Jay quickly piled his mashed potatoes onto his spoon and flung it at the dwarf, for a brief second time slowed as the potatoes flew through the air and landed on the warty backside of the creature. The dwarf whirled around in a rage while the rest of the occupants of the great hall roared with laughter. A stray piece of Chicken Tikka flew into the air, landing perfectly onto Professor Snapes greasy head, sauce dripping into ears. A fleet of lima beans nailed Jane the Hufflepuff straight in the face before tumbling down her dress. Chad, a sixth year Gryffindor prefect was assaulted by several salads and pieces of various sliced fruit, Lonnie, a seventh year from Ravenclaw was leading a full on battalion armed to the teeth with tomato canons, chocolate fondue filled catapults, and oranges. But best of all, some first year had the balls to poor a glass of pumpkin juice over Ben, the Head Boy.

Jay quickly ducked under the Gryffindor table and crawled over to the Slytherin table where Mal and Evie where back to back, fending off an audacious Hufflepuff with a loaf of French bread.

"You'll never take me alive!" She cried before switching sides with Evie so the blue haired beauty could splash a goblet of milk at the kid.

Jay looked up at his friends, both silently agreeing that this was an epic fail.

But of course, it wasn't as bad as what he did his _fourth_ year.


	2. Chapter 2

It was no secret to the student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry that Gryffindor's star player was one hundred percent, irrevocably, madly in love with Hufflepuff's resident tech genius, Carlos de Vil. Unfortunately, the Hufflepuff was completely, utterly oblivious.

It was Jay and Carlos' fourth year, and the Tri-Wizard Tournament was once again being held at Hogwarts. Jay was sorely attempted to find a way to get his name in the cup, (maybe than Carlos would notice him), but then Mal drilled into him about how hard it was for _Harry Potter_ to participate. And he was _Harry Potter._ After a few hours of lecturing from the Slytherin, Jay soon forgot the notion of tricking his way into the tournament.

The Hogwarts champion turned out to be none other than Jay's friend Lonnie, a 7th year Ravenclaw. She was immediately a fan favorite, even among the other schools. No one from Durmstrang really cared for Gaston Jr, their champion. And Beauxbatons was only semi-invested in their champion, Melody.

Melody however, seemed _very_ invested in Carlos de Vil, and there in lied Jay's problem.

Jay desperately wanted to ask Carlos to the dance, but before he even had the chance to work up the balls to do so, the castle became a buzz with the gossip that _Melody_ had already asked the shy Hufflepuff to the Yule Ball. Jay was fuming after he heard the news, how _dare_ she ask Carlos, she barely knew him! Jay however had been pining after him for _four years_. _Four freaking years._ It wasn't fair, it wasn't fair at _all_.

And that's how Lonnie found her friend, sulking in the library between Potions and Muggle Studies. He was mumbling to himself, but Lonnie could make out a few choice swears, mostly cursing the raven haired daughter of Ariel.

"Jay, you ok?" Lonnie asked, placing a comforting hand on the boys shoulder.

"Do I look ok?" Jay snapped, shrugging her off.

Lonnie smiled sympathetically, "No, which is why we should talk," She maneuvered her way through the piles of books to sit on the other side of Jay. "Is this about Melody and Carlos?"

Jay nearly burned a hole through his friends head, he slumped down in his chair, his red leather jacket was revealed as he hastily took off his heavy school robes. His scowl only grew deeper when he heard a giggle behind him, a giggle he instantly recognized; Carlos.

Sure enough, Lonnie could see the white haired boy laughing the object of Jay's unrelenting hate, Melody and Carlos were tucked close together over a large book, every few seconds a new peal of laughter would erupt, and not even the critical glare of Madam Pince could keep them quiet for long.

"Let's go for a walk." Lonnie rushed out, grabbing Jay's hand to pull him along before he could tear the couple apart.

They walked for a few minutes while Jay cooled down, finally, he was able to breathe again. But with breathing came a sudden rush of sadness. For years people would question if what happened in the hallway ever actually happened, with only the words of a few stray first years who happened to be heading to Transfiguration at time to go on, no one would ever be sure. But Lonnie knew, because in that moment Jay cried as she pulled him into a tight comforting hug. They sat there for a while, Jay, Gryffindor's golden boy, crying softly into his friends shoulder.

"I… Do-n't get it…" He hiccupped, clutching tightly to the older Ravenclaw. Lonnie brushed her fingers through the boy's hair, shushing him as he continued to cry uncharacteristically.

"Carlos is just oblivious to everything, you know that." Lonnie said comfortingly, "He'll come around eventually, besides," she smirked, "I know a secret."

Jay's eyes snapped up, red rimmed and slightly puffy, "What?" asked hurriedly, what didn't he know?

Lonnie leaned closer to Jay's ear, making sure no one else could hear them, "Don't tell anyone, but Melody's a lesbian."

Jay's head whipped back so fast Lonnie thought for sure he must have hurt himself, but the hope that had returned to his eyes was enough to let her know he was ok. "She's a what?" he gasped, his mouth flopped open in the perfect imitation of a fish.

"A lesbian." Lonnie confirmed, a slight smirk still evident on her face.

Jay continued to gape at his friend, "How do you know?"

"I asked her out and she told me so." Her smirk grew even bigger.

This confused Jay however, "Wait… if you asked Melody out, then why did she ask Carlos?"

At this, Lonnie's smile dimmed a little. "Jay… Not every place is as accepting as Hogwarts, Melody's still in the closet back home." Lonnie explained carefully. "She had to ask a boy out, otherwise people would question her, and that would be really bad. I told her to ask Carlos because I knew he would say yes."

Jay's eyes filled with fire, " _You_ told her to ask out Carlos?" But the fire dimmed a little, hurt evident in his eyes. "You _know_ I like him!"

Lonnie immediately felt guilty, her stomach twisting uncomfortably. "I know… But I also told her to ask Carlos because I knew he wouldn't fall for her."

"How could you be certain? He's openly bi." Jay asked, eyebrow raised.

Lonnie sighed, her friend could be very oblivious sometimes. "Because while Carlos is bi _sexual_ , he's _homo_ romantic."

"Oh." Jay grinned stupidly.

"Yeah." Lonnie smiled with a touch of exasperation.


End file.
